Magazine

Happy Endings

Before recovery, I had no idea how to have a successful relationship with anyone. Once in recovery it was still hard, because I'd never done it, but at least sober I was in with a chance. I came in with an emotionally low bottom. I struggled to stop drinking, and even once I did I had no pink cloud.

I was miserable, depressed, and uncomfortable to be around. I didn't know how to have the most basic conversations, never mind relationships. I didn't drive, so luckily I had to speak to people to get lifts, but I had the minimum interaction necessary for getting to a meeting, and spoke only when spoken to in monosyllables. Luckily, I sometimes see some of those who took me to meetings when I was new—they are kind enough to remind me how grumpy I was. Eventually, somehow I started to thaw a bit, and started to trust a small number of people. I honed my skills on some lovely patient people, particularly my sponsor and his family, and an AA friend who lived locally whom I regularly had coffee with. I learned very gradually to open up a bit, and eventually even to ask how the other person was occasionally.

-- Sam G.

Wingrave, England

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